


Furloughed

by orphan_account



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: American Politics, Current Events, Gen, Mentioned Donald Trump, government shutdown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-10-14 15:45:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17511395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: As the government continues to be shutdown, America doesn't feel so great.





	Furloughed

 

 

The government shutdown is still going on. It’s the longest shutdown in US history, and it seriously sucks.

At first, America thought very little of it all. Shutdowns happened occasionally, when people disagreed on things. And his current boss is an opinionated dude. But now, well, it’s been over a month, and there’s no resolution in sight. Hundreds of thousands of workers are without jobs, and hundreds of thousands are showing up to work for no pay – which is totally slavery, and illegal, right? America doesn’t blame the TSA agents who are calling in sick, but he feels bad for the more dutiful ones, who have to handle the pressure of being understaffed.

D.C. is feverish. And New Mexico, Maryland, Hawaii, Alaska – they aren’t doing so fantastic either. Government workers and contractors are stressed and struggling to make ends meet. Social programs are being cut. There is worry about food stamps, and it’s even worse for Native American tribes, who depend on government funding for healthcare. It’s literally a matter of life and death.

A wall. His boss wants a wall, won’t budge until he gets it. And the opposing party, they won’t move on the issue either, won’t support steel enforcements to keep out Mexico. It’s a matter of security, an ethical issue. Politics. His boss said that this could go on for months, years. His boss is a man worth millions, or rather that’s what he has in the bank. America doubts Donald has ever had to worry about food or whether there’s a roof over his head.

America himself has refused any special treatment. He’s been paying for food and rent by doing gig jobs: walking dogs, running errands, shoveling snow. It only seems right, with so many people suffering. Workers left in limbo, wondering if they should stick it out and wait for the government to reopen, or seek out other employment. Fear and boredom. Bills piling up, and nothing to do, nowhere to go. Most things cost money. Everywhere there is a pressing feeling of helplessness.

If this continues, airplanes could be grounded. If this continues, city buses could stop running. If this continues, courts could stop trying civil cases. How long, how much more would it take before catastrophe?

America comes home to an empty house. He turns up the heat a bit and makes himself nachos– cheap and tasty. He snuggles under a blanket on the couch and looks through his Netflix line up. Nothing is grabbing his attention though. He finishes the nachos and lies down, curled up. He takes his phone from the table and calls England.

‘What do you want?’ England says.

‘Nothing.’ America holds the blanket closer to himself and waits for England to hang up.

There is a pause, then a sigh, and, ‘Are you all right, America?’

‘No,’ America says softly, ‘I’m sad.’

‘Well, finally,’ England mutters.

America frowns. ‘You’re happy I’m sad?’

‘Not happy, but it’s a break from the relentless optimism. Maybe you’ve finally come to the realization that life is not a bowl of cherries.’

‘I never thought it was,’ America says, ‘I just wanted to make it better. I thought I could…but now I feel like the whole world is laughing at my pain.’

‘Well, that is what you get for being an empire.’

‘I’m not an empire,’ America says.

‘Of course not.’ England yawns. ‘Look, America, we all have our troubles, but this won’t last forever. Nothing does.’

‘How are you doing?’

‘Do you really want to know, America? Or is that just more of your fake sympathy?’

‘Nah, I really wanna know.’

‘I could be better.’

‘Britain?’

‘Yes?’

‘I, I love you.’

‘God, you’d better not die on me,’ England says. ‘I need someone to trade with once Brexit goes through.’

America chuckles and sits up. ‘Okay, dude, I’ll hang in.’

England sighs. ‘I’ll bet Russia’s laughing at us right now. He probably orchestrated this whole thing.’

‘Ha,’ America says. ‘Do you ever think we should maybe take responsibility for our own actions instead of blaming everything on Russia?’

‘What?’

‘Kidding, kidding. Of course, he’s somehow behind it. It’s funny, but for all my boss’s talk of national security, this shutdown is actually making us more vulnerable to outside threats. Do you think he’s a Russian spy?’

‘Well, I wouldn’t rule it out. When _are_ you going to impeach him?’

America shrugs. ‘I don’t think that’s on the agenda. All I know is one side has to cave some time. Economists are saying that this shutdown is actually costing more than what my boss wanted for the wall. And at this point, I just feel sick and tired.’

‘Well, you should probably rest then. And drink some tea. Good night, America.’

‘Good night, dude.’ America puts down his phone. He decides to go to bed early. It’s hard to spend money when you’re asleep.


End file.
